Assam professor dies of burn injuries; one acquaintance arrested

The victim, who was in her 30s, had sustained severe burn injuries on the night of December 30 at her residence and was rushed to Guwahati for treatment

Published on: Jan 2, 2021, 12:14:28 IST

Guwahati, Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Police in Assam’s Nalbari district have arrested one person in connection with the death of a woman professor due to burn injuries, senior officials said on Saturday.

The arrested person was known to the victim. Police are investigating whether he had a role in the incident. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Pomi Talukdar, an assistant professor of Sanskrit literature at Nalbari-based Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University (KBVSASU), succumbed to burn injuries at a hospital in Guwahati on Friday.

The victim, who was in her 30s, had sustained severe burn injuries on the night of December 30 at her residence and was rushed to Guwahati for treatment. It is not clear yet how she sustained the injuries.

“The family of the victim had lodged a complaint that one person who’s known to her had poured kerosene on her and set her on fire. We have arrested the person and are conducting investigations,” said Amanjit Kaur, superintendent of police, Nalbari.

“The accused person is known to the victim. We are investigating whether he had a role in the incident. We had earlier registered a case of attempt to murder and since she died on Friday we will convert it to a case of murder,” she added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.